Henry h



UNITED STATES'- PATENT Brion.

HENRY H. BALTZLEY, OF ASSUMPTION, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOCHARLES S. CLARK, OF SAME PLACE.

FLUE-STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,593, dated December14, 1897. Application filed April 8, 189,7. Serial No. 631,238. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. BALTZLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Assumption, in the county of Christian and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFine-Stoppers, of which the following isa specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawlngs.

My invention relates to a device of the class employed for closingunused stovepipe-holes in chimneys; and it has for its object theproduction of an improved flue-stopper designed to prevent dust and sootfrom being blown from the chimney into a room in which the ilue islocated, its novel characteristics being a cap plate having a resilientconcentric flange, the latter adapted to attain and maintain a snug fitwithin the flue, and means whereby the flange is removably secured tothe cap-plate, so that the parts of the fluestopper may be manufacturedseparately for convenience in shipment.

' then pointed out in the claim.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective view of my improvedflue-stopper, illustrating the manner of its application. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the flue-stopper, the flange-holding plate being partiallybroken out to show the manner of securing the flange in place. Fig. 3 isa vertical central section of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan view of theblank cut to form the flange.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the cap-plate of my improvedflue-stopper, of the usual shape in cross-section and of sufficient sizeto cover the stovepipe hole l in the chimney. To the cap-plate on theinner side is attached a semicircular flange-holdin g plate 2, securedbelow the center of the cap-plate by a single rivet 3, as shown in-Figs. 3 and 4.

B represents a flange designed for use with the cap-plate A. The flangeis cut from a sheet of tin or other suitable metal of substantiallyrectangular shape, of a length about one-fourth less than thecircumference of that portion of the cap-plate to which it is at tached,as shown in Fig. 2, and having an eX- tended portion 5, in which anumber of wedgeshaped cuts are made, leaving a series of projectingtongues 6, as shown in Fig. 4. The tongues are then bent at a rightangle to the body of the flange on the line 7 7, Fig. 4, when the flangeis ready to be secured to the cap-plate.

In assembling the parts the flange is bent approximately into the shapeof a semicircle by hand and its tongues 6 at one end inserted beneathplate 2. The flange is then moved around until the tongues are entirelybeneath plate 2, when it will be secured in position at a right angle tothe capplate, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The fine-stopper is theninserted in the stovepipe-hole l in the usual manner. It will be evidentfrom the fact that in bending the flange the tongues 6 are moved fromtheir normal positions shown in Fig. 4 to the positions shown in Fig. 2,with their respective edges in contact, that a certain degree ofelasticity will result, owing to the attempt of the tongues to regaintheir normal positions, this elasticity serving the very useful purposeVof holding the flue-stopper firmly in place in the stovepipe hole bycausing a small spread in the flange, thereby effectively preventing theadmission of soot into the room, as any such material as may be drivenagainst the` cap-plate will lodge in thean ge, from which it may beeasily removed.

It will be seen that from the above construction the flange andcap-plate when manufactured in large quantities for shipment may bepacked in a very small space, as the fiange is designed to remain flatuntil desired for use, as above described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

A flue-stopper comprising a capplate, .a semicircular flange holdingplate secured thereto, and a flange having right-,angular tonguesadapted to pass beneaththe Hangeholding plate, the length of the flangebeing less than the circumference of that portion of the cap-plate towhich it is attached.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature L in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY H. BALTZLEY. Witnesses:

F. D. REYNOLDS, A. P. RooKEY.

